World Cup qual. - Ferdinand not keen on Almunia

Eurosport - Thu, 09 Oct 09:20:00 2008

Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand does not want Arsenal's Spanish goalkeeper Manuel Almunia to play for England.

FOOTBALL 2007-2008 Premier League Arsenal Almunia - 0

Ferdinand was speaking from England's training camp ahead of World Cup qualifiers against Kazakhstan and Belarus, where West Brom's Scott Carson and West Ham's Robert Green are providing back-up to number one shot-stopper David James.

"That's for the FA to decide but I'm sure if he was picked for Spain he would play for Spain in front of England," Ferdinand said of Almunia, 31, who has expressed an interest in switching allegiances.

"So if that happens I don't think it's really working right.

"So if Spain had picked him now and he had a choice of playing for Spain or England who is he going to pick?

"I'm sure he'd pick Spain so that means he is not English."

Almunia has been in England for over four years and is eligible to play for the country as his wife is English and he has never played for Spain.

James, 38, is prone to making errors but so are the less experienced Carson (23), Green (28) and Blackburn Rovers' Paul Robinson (28), while injuries have restricted Chris Kirkland (27) to just over half of Wigan's league games since he joined in 2006.

Owen Hargreaves is currently the only foreign-born player in contention for Fabio Capello's squad.

Reda Maher / Eurosport

Comment 46 - 65 of 85

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  1. Rio was not banned for taking drugs, get your facts­ straight.

    From Leslie, on Thu 9 Oct 7:39PM

  2. almunia is a cut above ost of the rest david james is a­ fossel and who are the others ????? almunia deserves a­ shot...........

    From susanyoung598, on Thu 9 Oct 6:03PM

  3. Ferdinand had no comment when he was banned for taking­ drugs and should NOT be representing England - he is a­ disgrace.

    As for Almunia, why not give him a shot?­ England has not had a decent goalie for years!

    From Michael, on Thu 9 Oct 6:02PM

  4. hes better than that dodgy David James

    From Suzy, on Thu 9 Oct 5:13PM

  5. foster 4 england

    From Manu_Bal, on Thu 9 Oct 3:09PM

  6. I disagree with Rio,Almunia is needed in England squad­ right now pls be inform.

    From umarana2003, on Thu 9 Oct 2:28PM

  7. Well, the Premier league buys its way to the top......­ why not the national team as well!!!

    Soon, Capelo can­ scout all the young talent in the world and make them­ Englishmen.

    Its sad how money is killing the sport!­ Gone are the days (with few exeptions) when players­ play for the team they love and stick to that club.­ Fifa need to implement salary caps or football will be­ lost to billionaire's pockets.

    From Jona, on Thu 9 Oct 1:46PM

  8. And the point with Hargreaves and Barnes is moot, Both­ chose England above the option to play for other­ Nations (Barnes, Jamaica)(Hargreaves, Canada and i­ believe Germany), wheras Almunia is only keen to play­ for England because he will never play for Spain,­ i'm sure if he had the choice he would pick Spain!

    From andrewwatson49, on Thu 9 Oct 1:45PM

  9. I don't think this is a race argument to be fair,­ if he's good enough fair enough! But is he really­ better than James, Green, Kirkland, Carson, Robinson,­ Foster or even Joe Hart! If so pick him i just doubt he­ is!

    From andrewwatson49, on Thu 9 Oct 1:41PM

  10. Ooops i forgot about his Canadian team mate ­ Hargreaves,he doesnt have any problems with thim­ either.
    An idiot of the highest proportions.
    Shut ta­ @#$% up Rio.

    From MICHAEL M, on Thu 9 Oct 1:36PM

  11. Yaaah right supermats.
    He didnt have a problem with­ Jamican born John Barnes.
    But then again Digger was­ black.
    It doesnt have to be colour to suffer racism.

    From MICHAEL M, on Thu 9 Oct 1:26PM

  12. if he wants to play for England and he is good enough­ to bench the other keepers then let him play for­ England,there is nothing bad in trying,Afterall his­ wife is English and if England can 'give' him a­ wife England should also be happy to give him a shirt.

    From franklin b concience, on Thu 9 Oct 12:21PM

  13. I believe Rio has lost all sense coming out with this. ­ He needs to look at all the countries that have foreign­ nationals playing for them. Viera wasn't from­ France and as people have said Owen Hargreaves­ wasn't born in England and has lived abroad more­ than he has here so I hope he goes back into the­ dressing room and tells Owen to leave.
    Is there­ anything wrong in wanting to play for your adoptive­ nation? Sometimes you are actually more passionate­ about your adoptive nation than where you were born as­ you have chosen this. Rio should keep his mouth shut­ and think about things before opening it and coming out­ saying ridiculous things as this just shows up his­ ignorance.

    From Nicholas, on Thu 9 Oct 12:20PM

  14. stop taking the piss am only 13

    From Amaan A, on Thu 9 Oct 11:28AM

  15. well, i believe almunia deserves to play for england.­ ferdiland is just angry because he is a manchester­ united player, if it were brad fridel, rio will welcome­ him with open arms

    From abieyuwaemokpae, on Thu 9 Oct 11:28AM

  16. Why is it ok for other players to play for other­ countries like the hoardes of brazilians playing for­ all manner of different countries (japan!!!) If Almunia­ takes citizenship and wants to play, and they think he­ is good enough. I say good luck to him. Lets face it he­ is never going to play for spain.

    From Billy, on Thu 9 Oct 11:22AM

  17. yes he play 4 England

    From David, on Thu 9 Oct 11:08AM

  18. What is ferdinand talking about, I would love for­ Almunia to play for England and I think many poeple­ will to, this guy has been talking about playing for­ England for the last three years and for Ferdinand to­ come from no-where and say he shouldn't be giving­ the chance must be heart breaking for him.

    Also he has­ performed very well for Arsenal over the last couple of­ years, on top of that he would be the only goalkeeper­ that plays for the top 4 since D. Seaman that playes­ for England (unlike the other ones that don't have­ Champions league experience).

    Ferdinand should shut­ his mouth, and i'm a Man United Fan

    From Master-Dodo, on Thu 9 Oct 11:01AM

  19. Ferdinand has no right to say that - that is a decision­ for Capello to take. Manuel is a decent goalkeeper and­ would be a huge boost for England.

    Ferdinand said that­ Almunia would pick Spain, because he isn't English.­ So why did his club team-mate Hargreaves abandon his­ home country then? Don't even use the argument that­ Canada aren't as good as England, because­ Hargreaves has done exactly the same thing that Almunia­ might do.

    Besides, this opinion coming from a druggie­ who got banned? It's he who shouldn't be in the­ England team.

    From SB, on Thu 9 Oct 10:47AM

  20. rather to choose foster than almunia,,,

    From backbone_86, on Thu 9 Oct 10:46AM
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